A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Akure, Ondo State, has remanded a laborer, Sunday Emmanuel, at the Segede correctional facility following the murder of his wife.
Emmanuel allegedly killed his 35-year-old wife, Linda, with a machete during a dispute over money.
He also attacked his 3-year-old son, inflicting a machete wound to the boy’s head with the intent to kill him.
Magistrate Olateju Odenusi-Fadeyi did not take the defendant’s plea and ordered his remand at the correctional facility in Ondo town while awaiting advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Ondo State Ministry of Justice.
She instructed that the case file be sent to the DPP for further advice.
Emmanuel was arraigned on two counts: murder and attempted murder.
Prosecutor Inspector Josephine Awanna informed the court that the incident occurred on October 7 at around 5:30 PM in Ogbeni Camp Ofosu, within the Idanre Local Government area of Ondo State.
According to Awanna, Emmanuel killed his wife, Linda Emmanuel, by striking her in the neck and cheek with a machete.
Following this, he also attempted to kill his 3-year-old son, Sunday, by attacking him on the head, resulting in a life-threatening injury.
Police investigations revealed that the violence erupted from a dispute over how to manage their annual wages. The argument escalated, prompting Emmanuel to grab a machete and attack his wife.
The charges state: “That you, Sunday Emmanuel, on October 7, 2004, at approximately 5:30 PM in Ogbeni Camp via Ofosu, in the Ondo Magistratorial District, unlawfully killed one Linda Emmanuel, 35, by macheting her in the neck and cheek, thereby committing an offense punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State, 2006.”
“That you, Sunday Emmanuel, on the same date, time, and location, unlawfully attempted to kill your 3-year-old son by macheting him in the head.”
These actions contravene Sections 319 (1) and 320 (1) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State, 2006. The defendant’s plea was not recorded.
Given the gravity of the offenses, the prosecution requested the court to remand the defendant in custody pending DPP advice.
Magistrate Odenusi-Fadeyi remanded the defendant until the DPP’s advice is received and adjourned the case until February 2, 2025, for mention.
